I wanted to scream, ‘I just want to go to bloody Australia, Is that too much to ask?’
Jeannie’s pacing slowed, and she sank into an armchair, her anger seeming to deflate. ‘I’m just… scared. This is all happening so fast, and I don’t know what to do.’
The grandfather clock in the corner chimed, startling us all. Four o’clock. We’d been talking in circles for hours.
‘I know it’s hard,’ Jeannie started again more calmly, ‘but we must be careful now. Every word we say could be twisted and used against us.’
Miles stood up abruptly. ‘I can’t sit here listening to this anymore. I’m going to try Ceecee again.’
As he left the room, I could hear him muttering under his breath, his footsteps heavy on the stairs.
Jeannie sank into an armchair, suddenly looking every bit her age. ‘What a mess,’ she sighed. ‘What an absolute mess. This could’ve all been dealt with quietly?—’
‘Quietly?’ I gaped at her. ‘Jeannie– what the hell are you talking about?’ She looked at me, mouth slightly open with shock at my tone. I continued. ‘You think that you can control everything and everyone. Did you really think that you could bury the news of several family members dying?’
‘Yes,’ she hissed. ‘I did. In case you’ve forgotten, that was my job for thirty years and I was damn good at it. Thebest. I’ve buried a number of things with great success.’
‘Oh yeah? And how were you going to do it this time… throw money at it, I suppose?’
She narrowed her eyes at me, assessing me as if she was witnessing the real me for the first time. After a moment she said, ‘I don’t think I much like your tone, Olivia. You ought to be careful who you get on the wrong side of.’
My stomach juddered as adrenaline coursed through my veins.
‘Wrongside? Ah. So the psychological warfare of the last eighteen years was just the warm-up? Honestly, Jeannie, I’ve seen dictators with more emotional range.’
And with that, I stormed out without so much as a glance back. I stomped up the stairs, my heart pounding in my chest. The nerve of that woman! How dare she act like she could control everything, even now? I reached the landing and paused, trying to catch my breath. The house felt oppressive, suffocating. I needed air.
Making my way to the guest bedroom, I flung off my jumper, expecting to see Miles. Upon finding the room empty, I headed for the balcony, my fingers fumbling with the latch. As I leaned out into the crisp winter air, I heard raised voices from below. Miles was in the driveway, his phone pressed to his ear. He was pacing back and forth, shoes crunching on the gravel.
‘Hi, Ceecee, it’s Uncle Miles again. Please,’ I heard him plead, ‘just pick up. Please call me back as soon as you get this. I’m leaving shortly for Cambridge to come and find you. Please, call me or Grandma as soon as you get this…’ He hung up and cursed.
‘Excuse me, Mr Weiss?’ Randolf’s smooth voice cut across the driveway. He caught up with Miles and stopped in front of him. ‘I would advise against you leaving for Cambridge at this time.’
Miles laughed incredulously. ‘What do you mean? You would advise against me going, or I’m not allowed to?’
Randolf considered for a moment. ‘I would strongly advise against it. I am not formally placing you under arrest…’
My stomach twisted.
‘However, it would be ill-advised to leave on your own when there is a clearly a perpetrator targeting your family, and when you are wanted for further questioning. I can get a warrant, but I don’t want to have to do that.’
Miles pursed his lips tightly. ‘I need to get to my niece. She has no idea what has happened to her mother. Both of her parents are dead and she’s extremely vulnerable.’
‘I understand that, Mr Weiss. But instead, I can spare an officer to go to Ceecee’s halls of residence.’
‘Don’t you think the news should come from a family member?’ Miles said, outraged.
‘Ideally, yes, but these circumstances cannot be helped, I’m afraid. You should all keep trying her in the meantime.’
‘Jesus… Okay, fine.’ Miles turned away to go back inside the house.
‘Mr Weiss?’ Randolf called.
‘Yes?’ Miles said turning.
‘We can’t seem to open the pool cover, would you happen to know how?’
Miles sighed, looking weary. ‘I’ll take a look at it,’ he said, walking away and leaving Randolf alone.
